Movies In Focus

Film scholar and returning guest James Kenney has a knack for uncovering lost and forgotten cinematic treasures. You can listen to episodes 18 and 32 of the Movies In Focus podcast to learn about his headline-making work on Peter Bogdanovich’s Squirrels To The Nuts and the rediscovery of the original version of the Keanu Reeves and Ana de Armas film, God’s Daughter.

James now returns to discuss his latest find: Brian De Palma’s ‘lo...

Acclaimed horror author Adam Cesare joins this bite-sized episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about the recording breaking film adaptation of his novel Clown In A Cornfield.

Known for his mastery of slasher thrills and sharp social commentary, Adam Cesare's book - and its film adaptation - charts the chilling story of Kettle Springs-a town divided and terrorised by the homicidal killer clown, Frendo.

Adam explores the tr...

Short films are difficult. It’s easy to tell a story across 90 minutes or a couple of hours, where plot and characterisation can expand and grow. However, it takes real skill to deliver something short, punchy (and more importantly) narratively cohesive within a couple of minutes. This takes us nicely along to Dakota Stone, a new short from director Sherice Griffiths and writer Alfie Scattergood (aka Paul Knight).

Clocking-in at ju...

Writer-director Torsten Ruether joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to discuss his boxing drama, Uppercut. The film marks Ruether's English-language debut, adapted from his 2021 film Leberhaken, and features an impressive cast, including Ving Rhames, Luise Grossmann, Joanna Cassidy and Jordan E. Cooper.

Uppercut tells the story of Toni, a determined female boxer, and her journey with Elliott, a tough ex-boxing champio...

First-up there's Martin Campbell, the director of the acclaimed James Bond films Goldeneye with Pierce Brosnan and Casino Royale starring Daniel Craig. This is followed by a chat with Simon West, the director of the iconic ’90s Nicolas Cage pic, Con Air and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie.

Martin Campbell discusses his new film, Cleaner, a high-rise action pic starring Star Wars star, Daisy Ridley and Clive Owen. We...

Director Michael Polish joins the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about his latest action thriller, Alarum. Fresh off the heels of its January 17th release, this high-octane spy flick stars Sylvester Stallone, Scott Eastwood, and Willa Fitzgerald.

The film sees two married spies - Joe and Laura Travers - who find themselves hunted by intelligence agencies after discovering a mysterious flash drive

This conversation covers Polish's ...

Kimball Farley, the star and co-writer of the new off-beat indie film Hippo joins this episode of the Movies In Focuspodcast.

Directed by Mark H. Rapaport, Hippo is a black-and-white coming-of-age story set in the 1990s that explores the lives of two step-siblings. The film's quirky tone - reminiscent of the films of Wes Anderson - is complemented by Eric Roberts' excellent voice-over, which adds depth to the narrative's stylised s...

Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, the directors of the iconic horror film The Blair Witch Project join this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast.

Released in 1999, the film not only essentially created the found-footage genre but it also left an indelible mark on the landscape of independent cinema. Daniel and Eduardo share their insights on the film's production - everything from its unique marketing strategy to the challenges ...

Action superstar Scott Adkins joins this bite-sized episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about his latest film Take Cover - a high-octane one-location action flick that’s a real must for fans of the genre.

Known for his athletic turns in films like Accident Man, Undisputed, John Wick Chapter 4 and The Expendables 2, Scott has entertained audiences with his martial arts prowess and charismatic screen presence.

Scott spoke ...

Two very different directors talk about two very different films on this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast. First-up, Kevin Smith talks about his 1980s set comedy, The 4:30 Movie and then later in the episode Euros Lyn discusses his vampire-comedy, The Radleys.

Kevin Smith was one of the leading figures in the 1990s independent film scene. His self-financed low-budget comedy Clerks was a massive success and he went on to make ...

Director Mikael Håfström joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to discuss his latest film, Slingshot, a space thriller starring Casey Affleck and Laurence Fishburne.

Mikael is no stranger to crafting tense, atmospheric films, having directed works like his adaptation of Stephen King’s 1408 starring John Cusack and the Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger team-up, Escape Plan . With Slingshot, he explores themes ...

Directed by Adam Nelson and written by Chris Watt, The Mire is a well-honed dramatic thriller which grabs your attention and draws you into its tense plot.

Essentially a one-location, three-hander,  the low-budget film knows exactly what to do with its limited resources and it keeps you hooked until its surprising finale.

Returning guest Adam Nelson and newcomer Chris Watt both join this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to ta...

Director Joe Stephenson joins this episode of the Movies In Focus podcast to discuss his latest film, Doctor Jekyll. This film marks a significant moment for Hammer Studios, being their first horror release since the company's acquisition by the aptly named John Gore. Starring, Eddie Izzard and Scott Chambers, the film offers a fresh take on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale

Joe shares insights into the creative process behind ...

Dog Soldiers, The Descent and Doomsday filmmaker Neil Marshall joins the Movies In Focuspodcast to talk about his new gangster film, Duchess alongside its star, co-writer and producer Charlotte Kirk. The pair previously collaborated on the action-horror The Lair and the mediaeval thriller, The Reckoning. 

With Duchess, Marshall delivers a fast-paced revenge thriller where Kirk’s working-class criminal dives into the glamorous – and...

On this episode, Jeff Downes and Graham O'Dwyer from the brilliant At The Flicks podcast discuss Kevin Costner's western epic, Horizon: An American Saga.

We'll be putting our collective expertise to work as we explore Costner's latest directorial effort, examining its place within the western genre and its potential impact on cinema.

So let's saddle up and ride off into the sunset with Jeff and Graham as we unpack the ambitious mul...

Director Alejandro Brugués goes for old-fashioned chills and offers up some slow-burn horror with his excellent new horror, The Inheritance.

It can be difficult to have sympathy for characters who have immense wealth and privilege – especially when you’re not supposed to like them. However, The Inheritance gets the balance just right – and along with some good casting choices, you’ll be somewhat conflicted when the Abernathys start...

Written by Joe Russo and Chris LaMont, The Inheritance delivers old-fashioned chills and offers up some slow-burn horror.

The quick pitch is to call the Alejandro Brugués directed film a well-balanced mix of Knives Out and The House On Haunted Hill by way of The Haunting Of Hill House and Succession. There’s a sophistication and understanding of the horror genre that shows a real understanding of how these things work on a story le...

Shane Dax Taylor’s Murder Company is an old-fashioned World War II men on a mission movie. On Demand now in the U.S., the film stars  William Moseley, Pooch Hall, Gilles Marini, Joe Anderson and Kelsey Grammer.

The plot follows a group of US soldiers as they attempt to smuggle a member of the French resistance behind enemy lines so that he can assassinate a high-value Nazi target.

Star Gilles Marini and director Shane Dax Taylor jo...

Writer/director Jake Allyn's film Ride is now available On Demand in the US. It’s a wonderful modern day western that sees Allyn star alongside C. Thomas Howell, Annabeth Gish & Forrie J. Smith.

It's a beautifully shot & exceptionally well acted film that has dramatic highs alongside some strong tension.

Jake Allyn joins the Movies In Focus podcast to talk about making Ride, the complexities of not only writing and directin...